Beyond the Walls
by SilverLight7
Summary: "There is a very foolish man, who messed with his soul and is trying to achieve immortality." These were the words that were told to him by Truth. Ed really wanted nothing more to do with these sorts of things, but he really didn't have a choice, did he?


Yea, your eyes don't deceive you. This is a crossover.

All I can say is that this one of the many ideas that have been bugging me for a while. I'm really having trouble focusing on one story right now, so I figured that if I start writing these out, it'll help clear things up a bit. Here's hoping.

Anyway, a bit of background before this starts. I have not actually read the Fullmetal Alchemist manga. I did, however, watch Brotherhood, which I've heard actually stays pretty true to the events in said manga. Therefore, the plot and events that I will be basing this story on are the ones from the second anime series.

While we're on the subject, this is not going to be one of those stories where Ed offers the wrong thing to Truth and gets sent to the Potter-verse as a sort of second chance. It's similar, but I'll let you see my angle for yourselves. I hope you like the direction I've chosen to go; there's a lot of surprises that I have in store for this.

That being said, please read on and enjoy.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist or Harry Potter. I'm just playing with them a little.

Chapter 1

If there was one thing that could be said about the forests of Albania, Quirrel thought to himself, it was that it was definitely a place suited to his Master. Dark, foreboding, and more than a little unnerving. It was also the perfect place to discuss nefarious plots, apparently.

"My Lord, there are whispers amongst the staff that the stone shall be moved to Hogwarts this year."

"That old fool," came a soft hiss. "He knows I am after it."

The man shivered as the voice reached his ears. When he had set off on his trip for more hands on experience, he had no idea of what he would come across. Now…despite him willingly serving this being that was no longer human, part of him couldn't help but be terrified by it all.

"It will be difficult to get to the stone while it is hidden away at Hogwarts. If there was a way to get to Flamel himself, there would be no need to-" The voice paused. "Wait…Who is to say that Nicholas Flamel is the only alchemist around? Surely there are more."

"If there are, my Lord, there has been no word of them. Perhaps they have all died out."

"Then we shall bring one back."

"M-My Lord?"

"I have heard of a ritual. It allows you to summon anyone, living or dead. We shall use it to summon an alchemist, and they will make a stone for our use."

"H-How does this ritual work?"

He could hear the malicious smile in the next sentence.

"Just follow my orders, Quirrel."

Why did he have a feeling that something was going to go horribly wrong?

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

It was a bright, sunny day.

"Ed, get over here."

"Just a sec, Winry."

Edward Elric, Colonel in the military and former alchemist, sent his wife a smile before turning back to the phone.

"Yea, it's in two weeks. You'd better be here. I don't care how busy you are…Haha, yea…Uh-huh…Sure. I gotta go though, Winry wants us to start off this get-together." He laughed again. "I'll be sure to tell her. Anyway, talk to you later. Give everyone my best…Bye."

The moment he hung up, he heard Winry's voice float in through the open window.

"Who was it?"

"Mustang!" he called back. "He says hello and that we're invited to his wedding!"

"About time! You'd think that since he and Riza are older, they'd be farther in their relationship than we are!"

"They're more involved in the military than we are, Winry," he heard Al reply. "They didn't have time."

"There's always time, Al."

Ed chuckled as Winry and Al continued their discussion. Years ago he never would have thought he'd be so happy. Now here he was, with Al full and whole, Winry as his wife, and two kids. Losing his alchemy had been tough at first, but what he got in return was definitely worth it.

He opened the door to see his family together. It brought tears to his eyes even now.

"Papa!"

Ed grinned at the sight of Al struggling to hold onto his oldest.

"Hold still, Van, you're going to fall."

"Take it easy on your uncle, kiddo. I'm not going anywhere."

He walked over and plucked his son from Al's hold, earning a squeal of joy when he tossed him into the air.

"Honestly, Ed. You're going to drop him one of these days."

"Haven't yet, have I, Mei? Besides, even if I did, he's an Elric. A little fall wouldn't stop him. Now are we going to eat or what?"

Mei sighed and looked at Al. He only shrugged, a smile on his face.

"Oh, I just remembered!" Winry exclaimed, drawing the attention toe her. "The pictures arrived in the mail! Ed, go get them!"

"Pictures…? Oh! Sure."

He placed Van onto Alphonse's lap again and jogged back inside. While he was inside, Al turned to Winry in curiosity.

"Do you mean the picture we took together a few months back?"

She smiled brightly. "Yup! Wait till you see it. When you leave we'll give you your copy."

"Great, thanks."

Ed came out a minute later, picture in hand.

"They actually came out really good," he started saying. "You'll love-"

He faltered, eyes widening as they took in the glowing symbols that had appeared out of nowhere…right under his feet.

"Brother!/Ed!"

He couldn't move. Something was keeping him there and whatever it was, he knew it was nothing good. His mind rushed to try to make sense of this. It looked like alchemy, but he couldn't recognize it at all. It didn't look like anything he was familiar, actually. That was probably the most frightening part.

"Damn it, nothing's working!"

He looked up to see Al and Mei trying to set him free. His eyes slid over to the side of them and he felt his heart wrench. Winry and Van were watching with pale faces and frightened eyes. Sara, his sweet little girl, was wailing even though she couldn't comprehend what was going on.

"…Get inside, Winry."

"What? No, Ed!"

"Please…I don't want them to see whatever happens."

"But-"

"Go!"

He never knew if she did as he asked, because right after he did, he fell into unconsciousness.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

The runes were glowing a bright red.

Quirrel watched the ritual with curiosity. According to his master's directions, this exact combination of runes was supposed to summon a skilled alchemist who had the knowledge needed to create a Philosopher's stone. It was unlike anything he'd ever heard of before, and a part of him had to wonder how Voldemort came across this particular information.

...Were they supposed to glow white too?

"What did you do?"

Apparently not.

"Nothing, my Lord! I did everything you asked!"

He heard a hiss of anger as Voldemort's shadowy form looked over everything. A minute later, when the light faded, he turned away, dissatisfied with the results. He went back to Quirrel, who couldn't quite hold back a shiver at the sickening feeling brought by close proximity to him.

"Dispose of the papers. This ritual does not work, so it is a waste of my time."

He was all to happy to oblige. He had the feeling that what they were doing was something that was not meant to be messed with.

"We will proceed with the original plan. Dumbledore knows we are after the stone, but he has yet to remove it from Gringotts. You shall steal it before he does so."

"Yes, my lord."

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

To many, the color white was good. It represented purity, innocence, sometimes even kindness and peace. To Edward Elric, however, it was the most terrifying color in the world. Even more so when it was all that he could see in all directions.

"N-No…I-I can't be back here…Not again!"

"We meet again, Al-che-mist."

Ed flinched at the voice. Slowly, as if by doing so he could avoid this altogether, he turned.

Sitting there like barely a day had passed since their last talk, was Truth.

The moment Truth knew Ed's attention was on him, it grinned. "I never expected to meet you again."

"What am I doing here?"

"You are here because I brought you here."

"Why?" he asked with a scowl- if only to hide how scared he was at the moment.

He was a bit surprised at how fast this question made Truth's grin fall. "Someone did something they weren't supposed to."

"But what's that got to do with me?"

"Nothing. I made it concern you." The grin came back. "There is a very foolish man, who messed with his soul and is trying to achieve immortality. Things were all set for him to eventually meet me and pay his due, but he took things one step further and tried to summon an alchemist to him. All for a philosopher's stone."

Ed's breath caught in his throat.

"Since it has become a bit more common knowledge in your world, it could have been a number of people. However, I decided to intervene."

"But, if you could control who was brought here, couldn't you have stopped the summoning altogether?"

"Perhaps…but this path is far more interesting."

Ed couldn't quite keep his anger from flaring there. "So this is all some game to you? Al and I are done messing with what we aren't supposed to! We're happy just living our lives as they are now! So why the hell have you dragged me back here? Why me? I can't even _do_ alchemy anymore!"

"Because you intrigue me, Edward Elric."

Despite himself, Ed felt his frustration, fear, and anger give way to curiosity. However, Truth didn't clarify. It just continued on with what it was saying before.

"I have decided that you will be sent. Since this man has decided to change the path set before him, I see no reason not to make a few more changes."

"Can't it be someone else? I just want to go back to my family."

There was a pause. "No."

Ed felt his heart plummet into his stomach.

"They could go with you."

"I-…what?"

"Do you want them with you?"

"If…If I have to go," and he really, _really_ didn't want to, "then yea. I don't think I could stand being away from them."

"Then I will bring them too."

"Wait. For what cost?"

"No cost. Since I have brought you here, I will grant you this."

Ed stared, then shivered when Truth laughed. "You have been selfless for many years, always giving, always helping, but never expecting. The trip you took a few years ago to research your new theory of alchemy was an expansion on this. Equivalent exchange merits that you get a few things in return, does it not?"

"But I didn't do those things because I wanted something in return."

The grin widened. "And that is why I chose you…Why I will give you a few more things before sending you to this new world so different from your own."

It started as a dot in the white expanse. As it grew, Ed felt his eyes widen in disbelief. In moments, a huge stone door hovered in front of him.

"You-…You're giving me back my alchemy?"

His voice had weakened to a mere whisper. Given the circumstances, he figured no one would blame him. Truth certainly made no mention of it.

"Think of it as a reward for helping me deal with this foolish mortal. He is perhaps the most irritating I've dealt with in a while. I am looking forward to meeting him."

Ed couldn't help but feel sorry for whoever was stupid enough to annoy Truth. Then again, messing with your _soul_...This guy was all sorts of twisted.

"The next thing I am giving you-" Truth said, bringing him out of his thoughts, "-is the knowledge that you and your family will return to your home eventually. You will not be stuck there forever, as it was I that placed you there to begin with."

He could hardly believe this. Truth was allowing this without payment? He was either really lucky or dreaming.

"The last is that I will allow you to leave one message for those who stay behind. You will be gone a while. I favor your brother, so this will be for him."

He almost snorted. He knew Al was always everyone's favorite, but this was ridiculous.

"Now, what are you going to say? I will leave the message when I go for your family. They will be with you when you wake."

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

Al and Mei stared. One moment, Winry and the kids had been there, and the next they were gone. The only thing out of place was the bit of parchment on the table that appeared the moment they vanished. Al walked over and picked it up, his face paling as he read the words. When finished, he dropped it and walked away. Mei stared after him in concern before curiosity took over and she went to go read it herself.

It was hastily written, but there was no mistaking Ed's handwriting for that of anyone else.

_Al,_

_On a quest for Truth. Surprisingly cheap but may take a while. Winry and kids allowed to come. Tell Roy sorry for missing his wedding. Please take care and don't worry. We'll be back someday. Promise._

_Love,_

_Ed_

_P.S. If you have kids, don't name any after me, no matter how long I'm gone. _

"...Shit."

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~Chapter End**

So, as you can see, Ed has already gone through everything. There was no wrong choice when he met Truth near the end of the manga/anime, which is the basis for a few of the stories I've seen. I wanted to go with something different.

Some of you might say that I made Truth a little too nice here, but please, let me explain why I portrayed him the way I did.

While a bit frightening, I always got the impression that Truth really just wanted people to discover what is truly important in life- especially with the scenes at the end. He was pleased with Ed's response and sacrifice, and let him and Al go without any more suffering once he knew that they had learned their lesson. Very "tough-love," you know?

I might just be reading too much into it, but as far as this story is concerned, Truth isn't going to be the sadistic torturer that I've sometimes seen him made out to be.

Anyway, from the next chapter on, things will take place in Potter world. Occasionally, I'll go back to show how the others are, but it won't be too often. I have to go, so let me know what you thought, okay? So long and take care!


End file.
